Preparation:

• Grease and flour cake pans (2 8″ or 9″ rounds, or a 13×9″ pan)
• Place parchment in the bottom of the rounds, if using
• Heat oven to 350°F

Ingredients:

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Oil
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Coconut extract
• Milk
• Egg whites
• Cream of tartar

Cake Batter Preparation:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl
2. In another bowl, beat together oil and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar until light and fluffy
3. Beat in vanilla and coconut extracts
4. Add flour and milk, alternating between the two in small additions
5. Beat until blended
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form
7. Add remaining 2 tbsp sugar and beat until incorporated
8. Gently stir egg whites into batter
9. Pour batter into prepared pans
10. Bake 35-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
11. Cool 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans (if using rounds) to cool completely

Seven-minute Frosting Preparation: Double Broiler Method:

1. Prepare a double broiler by filling a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bringing to a gentle simmer
2. In a heatproof bowl, mix sugar, water, egg whites, and cream of tartar on low speed for about 30 seconds to combine
3. Place bowl on top of saucepan. The water in the saucepan should not touch the bowl
4. Beat mixture on high speed for 7 minutes, or until it is stiff and shiny
5. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and beat until vanilla is incorporated

Stand Mixer Method:

1. Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer for 3 minutes
2. Meanwhile, beat egg whites and cream of tartar to combine in the bowl of a stand mixer
3. Slowly pour sugar mixture into egg whites while the mixer is running on high
4. Beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is shiny
5. Mix in vanilla until completely incorporated

Frosting the Cake:

1. Frost completely cooled cake as soon as frosting is done, as it will firm up upon standing
2. Gently press coconut into the frosting to coat the cake

Preparation of the Cake:

• Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pans:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease and flour 2 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans or a 13×9 inch pan.
  3. Place parchment in the bottom of the pans (if using round pans).

• Sift Dry Ingredients:

  1. In a medium bowl, sift together the following:
     • Flour
     • Baking powder
     • Salt

• Make the Batter:

  1. In another bowl, beat together the following until light and fluffy:
     • Oil
     • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  2. Beat in the following:
     • Vanilla extract
     • Coconut extract
  3. Add the following to the mixture, alternating between the two in small additions:
     • Flour
     • Milk
  4. Beat until blended.

• Beat the Egg Whites:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until incorporated.
  3. Gently stir the egg whites into the batter.

• Bake the Cake:

  1. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
  2. Bake for 35-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  3. Cool for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans (if using round pans) to cool completely.

Preparation of the Seven-Minute Frosting:

• Double Boiler Method:
  1. Prepare a double broiler by filling a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bringing to a gentle simmer.
  2. In a heatproof bowl, mix the following on low speed for about 30 seconds to combine:
     • Sugar
     • Water
     • Egg whites
     • Cream of tartar
  3. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure that the water in the saucepan does not touch the bowl.
  4. Beat the mixture on high speed for 7 minutes or until it is stiff and shiny.
  5. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Beat until the vanilla is incorporated.

• Stand Mixer Method:

  1. Heat the following in a small saucepan on the stove:
     • Sugar
     • Water
  2. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down and simmer for 3 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer, beat the following to combine:
     • Egg whites
     • Cream of tartar
  4. Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the egg whites while the mixer is running on high.
  5. Beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is shiny.
  6. Mix in vanilla extract until completely incorporated.

Final Steps:

• Frost the Cake:
  1. Frost the completely cooled cake as soon as the frosting is done, as it will firm up upon standing.
  2. Gently press coconut into the frosting to coat the cake.